Set the World on Fire
by xXfireXflyXx
Summary: COMPANION FIC TO LOVERS IN A DANGEROUS TIME - Young Narcissa Black proves herself in a world of Dark Marks, dangerous men, and powerful traditions.
1. Cheating the System

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

**Hello all! Welcome to my Narcissa companion fiction to **_**Lovers in a Dangerous Time**_**, which I wrote some five or six years ago initially on Quizilla, and published on FF in 2008. I'm currently working on the sequel – very slowly, mind you – but the muse for Narcissa's side of the story has been pestering me for ages now. **

**I don't think it's necessary for you to read one fic before the other. They are companion fictions, so they will be dealing with roughly the same time period, and many of the same issues. However, a lot goes on in Narcissa's world that doesn't even touch Bellatrix, and vice versa, so I'm excited to explore some things that were only mentioned in passing in the other story. **

**The chapters will be roughly the same length (anywhere from 1500 to 3000 words), and because they are a little on the shorter side, I'd like to think I can write them during stress-filled exam periods when my writing time is limited. I believe I published about 23 chapters for **_**Lovers**_**, and I suspect this one might be either that length or a little longer. There will also be a sequel, which will match my sequel to **_**Lovers**_**, which is **_**Girl Inside the Woman**_**. **

**Now, when I initially wrote **_**Lovers**_**, I was a huge fail with the ages of the Black daughters. So, just to be safe, I'm going to say Narcissa is in her early twenties. I'm fairly sure I said she was 18 in the original, and Bella was the oldest… Wrong, wrong, wrong, but let's just roll with it for the sake of some contiguity. **

**The title of the story comes from the song _We Are Young_, by Fun. It's been my inspiration for the direction I'm taking the story. N****ow, Lucius and Narcissa are my favourite pairing, and I'm super excited to write this! So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride! **

* * *

"I need to sit with Bellatrix for her appointment… Are you sure you don't want me to stay behind for you?"

Narcissa glanced at her mother, her perfectly manicured hands clutching at the dressing gown she had recently changed into, and then shook her head. Her slim legs dangled over the edge of the tables, feet bare, and she appeared to be the exact opposite of her sister that day: nervous, pale-faced, on edge.

No one wanted some foreign doctor poking around in their private parts, but the procedure was necessary to ensure that the Black daughters were married to the proper type of man. Many parents in their circles begun requesting tests done to confirm that potential daughter-in-laws were virgins when they married their sons, and Narcissa Black was, unfortunately, not exempt from the rules.

Lady Malfoy had insisted that Narcissa be a proven virgin after Evan Rosier proposed to her older sister, Andromeda. Perhaps the woman realized that the Black girls were actually of marrying age, or Rosier's mother might have put a word in that if her darling boy, Lucius, continued to date Narcissa, marriage might be in the very near future. After all, the man had been courting Narcissa since she graduated, hesitantly at first, but as the years passed, their love had blossomed into something much greater than she had ever expected. All she hoped for was to become his wife, and if that meant making the obligatory trip to the healer's office to get some silly slip of paper, she was going to do it.

"I'll be fine, Mother," she insisted, giving her a small smile. "They said it will be over before I know it."

"Well, I'll only be in the room down the hall," the older woman remarked kindly, shooting her dark-haired sister a sharp look. "Come on, then. Do _not_ look so sour, Bellatrix! It's unbecoming! You wouldn't need to be here if your results hadn't come up as abnormal. I'm sure you've done something…"

Her sister rolled her eyes dramatically, but before she could say anything, the portly Black matriarch hustled her out of the room and shut the door noisily. There were no men partitioning for Bella's hand – aside from the few that her father deemed unacceptable – and in an attempt to make her more attractive to potential wealthy suitors, their mother thought Bella ought to have her virginity proven too. Unfortunately for her mother, Narcissa was quite sure that her older sister hadn't been a virgin since her Hogwarts days.

But that was Bella's way… Surely, they ought to understand that her sister was going to remain controversial until her dying day.

Once she was alone, she leaned to the side so that she could see herself in the mirror across the room. Taking a deep breath, she pinched her cheeks to produce some sort of youthful blush, and then hastily readjusted her green headband so that it was perfectly centered in her pin straight hair. She pursed her lips a little, and then quickly resumed her previous position when she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," she beckoned, a little bit of a shake in her voice. She mustered up a smile when a male healer poked his head in. Youthful. Attractive. Short blond hair and a grin that ought to make many of his patients melt, including Narcissa had she not found someone better.

"Miss Black," he greeted, shutting the door quietly behind him. "My name is Healer Benet…"

"Hello," she said in return, watching as he scanned a clipboard in his hands.

"Now, I personally find this procedure a little archaic, but-"

"As do I, sir," Narcissa remarked, a touch more confidence in her tone. She slid off the table, clutching the back of her dressing gown to keep her modesty in front of a stranger, and then rummaged around in her purse. Moments later, she produced a small, jingling sac of gold coins, and then held it out to him. "Consider this a gift for your services from my future fiancé."

"I…" he trailed off, staring at the red bag in her hands. "I don't know what to…say."

"Oh, we can talk about anything you like," Narcissa insisted, nodding her head a little, wide-eyed as she sauntered toward him, hand extended. "However, we won't be doing the procedure today."

"We won't?"

"No, of course not," she told him, glancing down at the sac for him to take. "I too find the procedure archaic, and think my virginity is no one's business but my own. My future fiancé, Lucius Malfoy… I'm sure you've heard of the name..." The coins jingled a little as he finally took the sac. "Well, he agrees too, and would prefer that no other man touch me in such an intimate way."

"I'm starting to understand," the healer remarked slowly.

"Oh, good," Narcissa beamed, fluttering her eyes a little. "I had hoped we would reach an understanding. This is a gift for your services today. My future fiancé suggests that you fill out your little form there-" She pointed to his clipboard. "-and insist that everything was as it should be, and my virginity is intact. When he receives the results from my mother tonight, he will transfer double the sum to your Gringotts account. Does that sound like something that is acceptable to you?"

He blinked a few times, and then glanced down at his clipboard. For a moment, Narcissa wondered if he was going to refuse her offer. Lucius had been so sure that any healer would fall for a huge sum of money, especially because of their rather pathetic salaries. However, perhaps this one was different.

"That… does seem acceptable," the healer finally agreed, setting the sac of gold on a nearby counter and shrinking it down to a size that could fit easily into his pocket with his wand. "You may sit back down, Miss Black, and I will begin the examination."

Narcissa frowned a little, but when he shot her a bit of a wink, she realized he had said it a little louder just in case anyone was listening. She grinned in return, and then eased herself back up onto the examination table, ankles crossed, hands knitted together on her lap. In the meantime, her healer sat on a nearby stool and began filling out the necessary forms, his quill scratching loudly as he wrote.

"What are you writing?" Narcissa inquired curiously, knowing full well that the document would be sealed and given to her mother once he was finished, bypassing her completely. The handsome young healer looked up, and then shrugged.

"Mostly what I can tell just by looking at you," he replied. "Height, weight, eye colour…"

"Oh."

"Otherwise, you seem in perfect enough health for the sake of this test," he continued, resuming his scribbling. "I mean, I saw no trouble when you walked… Your coordination is fine, breathing is fine, speaking is fine… Are you feeling all right?"

"Yes, yes, of course," she replied, nibbling on her lip as he continued to write. "Does it sound believable?"

"In my experience, the only thing most people care about is the last box on the page," he told her, turning the clipboard around and pointing at a small box with his quill. "I write in here if you've still got your virginity or not. If not, I explain what may have caused you to lose it, as I don't think sex is always the key reason."

Her cheeks flamed at the subject, and he resumed filling it in. It wasn't that sex was embarrassing to her personally, but discussing the prospect of it with some stranger, no matter how friendly, was a little more inappropriate than she was comfortable with.

In all honesty, Narcissa was a virgin. She had always been the good one in her family, despite her occasional devious actions, and she intended to see it through until she was a Malfoy. However, that certainly didn't mean she and Lucius hadn't experimented over the years. They had done just about everything but the full act of consummation, and at this point, it was almost becoming unbearable to stop at the appropriate moment. They were both traditional. They both understood why it was necessary not to go much farther, but once she had any sort of ring on her finger – engagement or otherwise, she was sure notions of tradition might be thrown out the window in the heat of the moment. After all, Lucius was a very patient man, and a complete gentleman, but he was still a man, and men would want carnal satisfaction at some point.

"Right," her healer said at last, rousing her from her daydreaming abruptly, "that's that. I've filled everything out… Do you want to read it before I put it in the envelope?"

"I trust you wrote everything correctly," Narcissa reasoned, watching as he folded the paper and sealed it in a cream coloured envelope. "If not, it won't be money that you'll be receiving."

"Understood," he commented, signing the envelope. "I wish you and your… future fiancé a very happy life. Good day, Miss Black."

"Good day," Narcissa said in return. When she was alone once more, she let out a sigh of relief, and then quickly changed back into her clothes: an off-white dress, cinched at the waist with a belt, and a brown traveling cloak. She gathered up her purse and the sacred envelope, and then silently slipped out of the examination room.

Her mother had taken the girls to a private clinic in London, and she was eager to be gone from the facility of white walls and curtains. They were having a party at their home tonight to celebrate the engagement of her sister, Andromeda, and Evan Rosier. The Black and Rosier clans, plus family friends, were both invited, and her mother had been planning the evening for weeks. After all, Andromeda was the first of the Black girls to be engaged, despite the fact she and Lucius had been in a courtship for much longer, and her mother was keen to show just how eager the Blacks were to cement permanent ties to other Pureblood families.

She vaguely heard the sound of two female voices arguing once she was in the hall, and then rolled her eyes when she realized it was her mother and sister bickering. They emerged from a nearby exam room, her mother's face red and eyes narrow, and Bella looking equally displeased. Apparently the results hadn't gone the way either expected.

"Narcissa," her mother cooed, face softening a little when she spotted her. "How did everything go?"

"Oh, just fine, Mother," she replied obediently, holding out the envelope for her to take. "He was a very nice healer, though I'm glad it's finished."

"I'm sure you are, darling," her mother remarked, giving her cheek a pat with her gloved hand. "I know it's uncomfortable, but now we can let Lucius propose to you properly. His mother is going to be very happy."

"I'm sure she will," Narcissa insisted, smiling at her mother as the woman carried on. She fell in tow behind, linking her arm with Bella's, and then murmured, "What's happened?"

"Nothing to worry about," Bella grumbled. "I need a smoke."

She shot her sister a disapproving look. Her mother harped on Bella all the time to quit smoking, and although Narcissa didn't particularly like to side with the woman when it came to fights with her older sister, she couldn't help but agree. In her opinion, each pack shortened her life just a little, and she couldn't stand the thought that one day there would be a world without her protective older sister.

"Tell me," Narcissa pressed. "Tell me before we get home and _she_ tells father."

"It doesn't matter," her raven-haired sister sighed, looking decidedly bored. "They found that I can't have children. Mother is _livid_… No man will want me now, apparently."

"Oh, Bella," Narcissa gasped, stopping in the hall short of the Floo fireplace to look at her sister, "I'm so sorry! Can they fix it?"

"What a silly question," her sister snorted, shaking her head. "No, no, I think it's permanent. No children for me, and I couldn't care less."

"Don't say that," Narcissa told her, frowning a little. "I'm sure there are other ways."

"I don't care, Cissy," her sister droned, shrugging her cloaked shoulders. "This isn't the end of my world, though I suspect our mother may think differently."

Narcissa frowned, staring at the ground unhappily. Before she could sink too far into her musings, her sister pinched her arm, making her scowl up at her. Bella laughed her usual husky laugh, rolling her eyes a little, and then dragged her toward the fireplace, "Cheer up, Cissy. I'll let you dress me for the party if you promise not to talk about it anymore."

"All right," Narcissa managed, straightening her shoulders a little and forcing her features into something a hint peppier when her mother looked over her shoulder at the girls, snapping for them to hurry up, "but I won't let it go forever."

"As long as you don't talk about it today, I don't really care," Bellatrix hissed, ushering her into the fireplace after her mother vanished in a swirl of green flames, "and if you tell Lucius, all of your shoes might somehow end up in the lake."

"Lips are sealed, sister dearest," Narcissa mused, smirking a little before she too was engulfed in green fire, whisked back to the Black Manor in a blink of an eye.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**This entire chapter took place in about… four sentences in the original Bellatrix story? Something like that. I wanted to expand a little, and show just how sneaky Narcissa is; she wasn't a Slytherin for nothing! The next chapter will introduce our favourite Malfoy at a very debonair party… See you there!**


	2. Party Foul

Narcissa adored house parties.

She loved seeing the fine fashions of the ladies in her social circles, and the hum of excitement that illuminated the house beforehand was enough to drive her wild. Most of all, she liked that just about everyone in her family got along when there was a ridiculous amount of people visiting the Black ancestral manor. Her mother was actually civil with Bellatrix – unless her sister was in a mood – and Andromeda made a big show of being a united front with the rest of the family. Their father managed to come out of his study for long enough to make the rounds, laughing properly when he ought to, and ignored the drink for as much time as was acceptable. Parties made everything and everyone in the house flow so wonderfully, and whenever her mother told her she was planning another one, Narcissa was giddy in anticipation.

Naturally, her sisters were a little less inclined to having their manor invaded by all sorts of families, but their parents were quick to remind them that the visitors were all purebloods – viable, aristocratic purebloods at that! Of course, there were the odd ones that might have been considered the upper-middle class, and Narcissa noticed her mother was more accepting of them now that she wanted someone – anyone – to take her daughters off her hands. Well into their twenties, Narcissa only just so, but they were all a little too old to be lingering around at the family home for much longer. As long as the people were pure and they had a decent enough account at Gringotts, it seemed her mother was the courteous hostess for all occasions.

Gatherings of any kind were also a public event in which she could further stake her claim on Lucius Malfoy. He was an eligible bachelor, and had been since his late teens; she was completely aware that there were still other families trying to propose an arrangement for him and their daughter, despite the fact that she and he had practically been engaged since she was nineteen. So, whenever someone hosted a party, she was sure to find her man quite early in the night, at the point where everyone was greeting one another, and accompany him whenever a particularly pretty girl appeared with her parents in tow. Penelope Greengrass could mind her own business, thank you kindly!

As promised, Narcissa had the rare opportunity to dress her older sister for that evening's event, and she spent a great deal of time trying to decide on the perfect dress-shoe combination. Bella, meanwhile, lounged on her bed, a magazine in hand.

"Do you think this red is a bit garish?" Narcissa inquired, pulling out one of her sister's tighter fitting red dresses. It cropped wonderfully at the knee, highlighting Bella's lovely legs, "I mean… I know we ought to abhor all things red because of school and whatnot, but I think this might-"

"It's fine," Bellatrix droned, barely looking over the top of her magazine. "I'll wear whatever you want."

"Well, you can have an opinion too," Narcissa muttered, a hand on her hip as she held the hanger out in front of her, head cocked to the side. "It gives you such a nice shape."

"Mother will call me a whore."

"_Bella_, she will not!" she scoffed, her eyes widening a little, "And if she does, well, we both know she lacks a sense of modern fashion. You can't take it to heart."

"Never do."

"Here, put this on," Narcissa ordered, tossing the dress on her bed, "and you'll wear the… black shoes. Yes, the ones with the bit of a spike to the heel."

She rummaged around in her sister's impossibly messy closet for a moment, and finally found the second shoe to the pair, holding it up for Bella to see, "Once you're dressed, come find me and we'll do our hair."

"Why doesn't Andromeda get this sort of attention?" Bellatrix sighed, sliding off the bed and shrugging away her housecoat, leaving nothing but a pair of undergarments to hide her modesty. Narcissa looked away out of habit, picking at her perfectly rounded nails instead.

"You know she wouldn't take my opinion."

"Well, why should I?"

"Because I'm your favourite," Narcissa teased, finally glancing up again when her sister had covered herself partially with the dress. "Now don't get anything on it… and _don't_ smoke or you'll stink it up. Come to my room when you're done. I want to do some sort of updo with your hair today. Oh! Or maybe straighten it!"

"Cissy…"

"Don't be a sourpuss," Narcissa ordered, pointing a warning finger at her, "or we'll have a discussion about what the doctor said."

Bellatrix rolled her eyes irritably, but Narcissa knew that she would rather let her fiddle away with her wild hair than talk about why she couldn't have children. Her father was enraged, shouting at her mother that no man would want Bella now, but Narcissa couldn't believe it. Perhaps Bella _had_ been born like that, or maybe the test was simply wrong! Either way, it wasn't her fault, and it shouldn't deter any potential suitor if he truly wanted Bella… and any man that truly wanted her sister did _not_ want her for her abilities to give birth.

She hurried along the well-lit corridors of the second floor to her room, floating by Andromeda's with a peak in. The girl was seated in front of her mirror applying make-up, her legs crossed one over the other. Honestly. She was such a strange girl, her older sister. They both were, but Andromeda had become so different after she graduated that it was hard to tell who she was anymore.

Once in her room, she removed her soft yellow dress from its hanger and carefully laid it out on her bed. It wasn't necessarily something she would buy for herself, but apparently Lucius' sickly mother had bought it with her in mind one afternoon. Therefore, if the senior Malfoys were in attendance tonight, it would look wonderful if Lady Malfoy could see Narcissa in her gift.

Shrugging off her housecoat, she rummaged around for the appropriate undergarments – one must tuck in every imperfection, after all – and then slipped easily into the light dress. She smoothed her hands down the front, and then used her wand to zip up the back. It was quite lovely, though perhaps more of a spring dress than an early autumn one. It didn't matter – that wasn't why she was wearing it. Fitted around the bustline, short little sleeves, and a skirt that trailed elegantly to the floor, it seemed the type of dress the lady of a manor would wear. It was suited to her.

Her make-up was always minimal, as she preferred natural beauty to some of the caked on messes she saw at these gatherings. Her lengthy near-white blonde hair was going up in a half-up half-down concoction, with a few select pieces curled. Over the years, she had become an expert with her hair, and it took less than ten minutes to get it under control with magic. Bellatrix was a completely different story, and when she arrived, they set to work on brushing it first. Her unruly curls were always such a mess, but it was damaging to constantly use magic to fix ratty hair. When they eventually had that sorted, Narcissa straightened the entire thing, opting out of anything more elaborate based on the time constraints.

"I think you look ravishing," Narcissa purred, pouting her lips the way her mother did whenever she talked to Abraxas Malfoy. "Don't you?"

"Yes, you really have outdone yourself, Cissy," Bellatrix replied, smirking a little as she eyed herself in the mirror. "And you look… positively virginal!"

"That's the point," she insisted, tapping the side of her nose before winking at her older sister. "Come on… I can hear mother's frantic directions from here."

Their mother was usually quite calm until the night of the party, and then every house elf in the manor was on overtime to make sure every detail was perfection. From what Narcissa could see, there was nothing to fix. The flowers were arranged wonderfully. All the major entertaining rooms on the first floor had food and drink tables with enough napkins to ward off messes. There was a servant waiting for directions just about everywhere she looked.

Her father was already milling about the main food table, grazing here and there as her mother flounced about, face red, eyes a little deranged. She paused when she spotted Narcissa and Bella, and then promptly came over to inspect them.

"Really, Bellatrix, you couldn't find something a little longer?" she clucked, arching an eyebrow at her sister's legs. Narcissa cleared her throat before Bella could say anything, not wanting to start a war just before the guests arrived.

"Actually, I picked it, Mother," she insisted, giving her sister an appraising look. "I think Bellatrix looks lovely… If you have such wonderful legs, I think you should show them off. You never know who might be watching."

"Hmm," her mother grunted, giving her a quick look. "I do like this colour on you, Narcissa. Very pretty."

"Thank you, Mother."

"Where is Andromeda?"

"Still in her room," Bellatrix croaked, "probably trying to find the quickest escape before Rosier shows up."

"Now, I'll have none of that!" her mother snapped, and Narcissa sighed. Why couldn't Bella ever just answer the question? Did she need to give her a little bit of attitude too? "Evan Rosier is a _fine_ man! His family is thrilled to have Andromeda, and they would have had you if you could learn to hold your tongue!"

"Oh, how horrible for me," her sister droned, and Narcissa quickly detached herself before getting dragged into the bickering.

She sauntered over to her father, a portly man with grey hair, sharp eyes, and a hint of a beard. Without saying anything, she wrapped both arms around his and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Everything all right, Poppet?" he asked softly, patting her head a little as he continued to pick at the vegetable platter. "Bellatrix and your mother making you upset again?"

"No, I'm fine," Narcissa insisted, smiling sweetly up at him when he shot her a look. "Will you speak with Mr. Malfoy tonight for me?"

"Yes, yes, I haven't forgotten," her father told her. "Now that you're… proven, we can get you two married. I think it should have been done years ago, but no one seems to listen to me."

"You're simply too progressive, Father," she giggled, pushing herself up on the tips of her toes to kiss his cheek. "No one would go for anything less than a yearlong engagement, and we haven't even had that yet."

"Well, if the boy doesn't ask after his parents see your papers, I'm going to shove his head into some coals," he grumbled, "and maybe then he'll find you the proper diamond you should have had years ago."

"Thank you," she whispered, squeezing his arm.

"Oh," he said suddenly as she was about to walk off, "and do make sure Dromeda is all right tonight. This might be a bit…"

"Overwhelming?" Narcissa tried, knowing her father found the Rosier family distasteful. "I'll keep my eye out, not to worry."

"Thank you, Poppet."

Just then, she spotted her older sister descending down the main stairwell into the entertaining hall, and she made a beeline in her direction. Andromeda looked pretty, despite doing her make-up seated on the floor, and had opted to wear a stunning green dress that was fitted to her slim frame, and her curly hair was up in the sort of style she had wanted to put on Bellatrix.

"You look breathtaking," Narcissa insisted, linking their arms the moment she came to her side. "How are you feeling for tonight? It's all for you, after all."

"It isn't all for me," her sister remarked carefully. "It's for mother to show just how excited the Blacks are at joining up with the Rosiers. I don't want to be here."

Narcissa bit her lip, and then cleared her throat, "Well, why don't we put on a smile and try… He isn't so bad, Evan. I mean, he's a bit young right now, but that doesn't really matter. Look at mother and father!"

"Yes, I've always dreamed of having a marriage like theirs," Andromeda remarked, shooting her a look. "You don't have to persuade me to like my fiancé, Narcissa. It's fine, I promise."

Narcissa opened her mouth, words of Evan's praise on her tongue, but they held their ground as her mother dragged her sister away, insisting that the Rosiers had started to arrive in the main hall. Narcissa stood silently for a moment, alone in the empty cavern that was designated to entertaining. However, her father soon joined her, and the silence was cut mercifully short at the arrival of their guests. She greeted each and every one of them by name; Narcissa had a strange talent fore name-recall, and that usually came with a strange tidbit of information that she threw into the conversation to keep the interactions personal.

After the Rosiers, it seemed all manner of pureblood family had finally arrived. Most held the Blacks in fairly high regard, so it wasn't surprising that the likes of the Lestranges and Notts made an appearance, along with her cousin Regulus and his family.

"Narcissa."

She gasped a little when someone suddenly grasped her arm, and the perpetrator released her when her startled eyes met his.

"Rodolphus," she grinned, allowing him to take her hand and kiss it. "How are you this evening? Everything well with your cousin? I hear she's rather ill."

"I... Oh, yes, she's fine," he commented, brushing it off. "I was wondering if you knew where your sister was?"

"Andromeda is probably with Evan," Narcissa insisted, standing on the tips of her toes to try to see over the crowd. He must have been looking to congratulate the happy couple.

"No, no, I meant Bellatrix," the man told her. "I was wondering if you've seen Bellatrix?"

She frowned at him, and then shook her head, "Not since the party started."

"Ah well," he sighed, "I suppose I'll just mill around by the alcohol… I'm sure she'll turn up eventually."

Her frown deepened and she sniffed, "Yes, well, good luck then."

She shook her head a little as she stalked off, not wanting to publically berate him for poking fun at her sister. It wouldn't be proper if a hostess snapped at a guest, but had they been somewhere else, even his friendship with Lucius wouldn't save him form her ire.

Speaking of Lucius… Her eyes lit up when she spotted a pair of familiar blond heads across the hall. They were fairly easy to pick out amongst the sea of dark hair from the Black and Rosier clans, and Narcissa quickly found her mother before she did anything else. After all, her mother had those very important papers, and she wanted them handed over as quickly as possible. Druella Black was remarkably adept at social situations, despite her sometimes crass manner in private, and the woman masterfully extricated herself from her current conversation to walk Narcissa in the direction of the Malfoy men. It seemed there was no Lady Malfoy in tow tonight, which meant no one would notice she was wearing this dress for her. Plan foiled.

"Abraxas," her mother greeted, garnering his attention quickly. "How wonderful to see you!"

"Druella," the man beamed, the spitting image of her Lucius, only a good twenty years older. "You look especially lovely tonight…" His eyes drifted back, "As do you, Narcissa. Lovely to see you both."

"Thank you," Narcissa beamed, catching Lucius's eye for a moment before returning her attention to his father. "Will your wife be joining us?"

"I'm afraid she's a little under the weather," he insisted, shaking his head a little, "but she sends her regards… and I'll have to tell her how wonderful you look in her dress. Doesn't she look nice, Lucius?"

"Yes, of course she does," Lucius said quickly, stepping forward to take her hand. "Narcissa would look lovely in a paper bag, Father."

"Now, now," Narcissa laughed, her cheeks tinting a little when he kissed her hand. "None of that!"

"Well, let's hope your wife feels well enough to join us some other time," her mother beamed, bringing the conversation back to where it ought to be. "Would you be so kind as to give her Narcissa's test results? We had them done today…"

She handed Abraxas an envelope, which he slipped into his cloak pocket. Narcissa felt a slight tug on her wrist, and she looked up at Lucius, who smiled at her in that handsome way that always made her want to laugh nervously.

"Let's get something to drink, shall we?" he suggested, and she quickly nodded, allowing him to wrap her arm around his as they weaved through the crowd.

By now, the engagement party was in full swing, but the only person she had eyes for was the man beside her. He looked so dapper in his fitted suit and shoulder-length hair swept back in a ponytail… It wasn't a surprise that other families were vying for him. Any child he produced was going to be equally handsome or beautiful – mothers must have been pestering the Malfoy family for years!

Instead of directing her toward the beverages, he pulled her toward a vacated hallway, one that eventually led to the basement, and thus the dungeons and wine cellar. She thought he might want to find their own vintage wine in her father's collection – it wouldn't have been the first time they stole a little – but before she could ask, he dragged her into an empty lavatory and shut the door.

Narcissa giggled a little as he backed her up to the wall, his body against hers as he kissed her, lips firm while his hands cupped her face. She clutched at the front of his suit, needy as she deepened the kiss. It had been some time since they were alone together, and the desire swelled within the pit of her very being almost instantaneously. Her eyes widened as he turned her neck to the side, planting heated kisses in a trail down to her exposed shoulder. She gasped a little, but her breath hitched in her throat when she felt him start to drag up the skirt of her dress.

"W-What are you doing?" she managed quietly, making him stop.

"I… Darling, isn't it clear what I'm doing?" he asked with a bit of a chuckle, pushing himself away just enough to let her breathe, "I thought we talked about this…"

"I'm sorry, I don't really understand what 'this' is," Narcissa told him, her cheeks bright crimson as he fumbled about for the light. She blinked a few times as the bright white illuminated the small lavatory, ruining any sort of romantic mood immediately.

"We said once we had the papers, we wouldn't wait anymore," he reminded her, his breathing a little heavy as he swiped a loose bit of hair away from his face. "I mean, my father has your papers now, so I thought-"

"You thought we'd… do _that_ here," Narcissa stammered as she fixed her dress. "Here? In the spare toilet at my parent's house?"

He seemed a little dumbfounded for a moment, and she cleared her throat, "Lucius, this isn't romantic, nor is it private! You'd bring some… girl in here that you met at a party to have your fun with, not the one you intend to marry!"

She stepped around him, inwardly fuming that he thought their first time was going to be in some bathroom in the dark, but he managed to grab hold of her before she opened the door too far. He pulled her back, an arm around her waist, and then shut the door.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, his head resting in the crook of her shoulder. "I've just been thinking about it all day, and then I saw you, and I suppose I got a little hasty."

"Yes, really," she scoffed, rolling her eyes a little. "Even if we could find a bedroom, I would not consent to some rushed, sordid thing while our families are downstairs. You should know me better."

"Cissa," he half-whined, giving her neck another kiss. "Please forgive my stupidity?"

She smiled a little as he continued to kiss her neck, and she finally pushed his hands away when they started to prod at the ticklish spot on her side, "All right, all right! Forgiven…"

"As always," he mused, chuckling a little as she poked at him sharply in return. "Come along, darling. We've been gone for a drink long enough, I suspect."

She sighed, quickly fixing herself up in the mirror before she joined him out in the hall, careful not to be seen by any of the servants. When they were both sure they looked presentable enough, they rejoined the hall of guests, and it seemed no one had noticed their absence or arrival. She relaxed a little, allowing Lucius to move her through the crowd as usual, a placid smile on her face.

Finally, he paused near the large glass windows at the side of the hall, and then nodded toward the door, "I think I'm going to join the boys outside. I'll be back in a bit."

Narcissa frowned, spotting the 'boys' – Evan, Rodolphus, and Severus Snape – outside enjoying a smoke in the chilly night, "You know I don't like it when you smoke."

"Just one, dearest," he said quietly, glancing around the hall. "Here, you have my pack so I'm not tempted."

He removed the slim casing from his pocket, retrieved one cigarette, and then handed it to her. She arched an eyebrow, trailing her fingers over the Malfoy family crest on the cover, and then tilted her head up to him, "What about the pack in your breast pocket?"

His lip twitched, something he usually did whenever she caught him in a lie, and he begrudgingly handed them over too. She snatched them up and summoned her house elf. The creature appeared at her side immediately, and she stuffed both packs in her hands, "Please hold onto Mr. Malfoy's cigarettes for the night. I'll call you when I want them back."

"Yes, Missus."

The creature vanished almost as quickly as it arrived, and Lucius scowled at her a little. She smiled sweetly in return, "Don't think you can fool me so easily, Mr. Malfoy. I'll find you in a little while… I would like it if Penelope Greengrass' mother could see us have a dance before the evening is out."

"Hmm, she is becoming a bit persistent," he agreed, rolling his eyes a little. "I'll be very fast, I promise."

"Of course," she beamed. He gave her a nod, his expression one that he reserved for their public appearances, and she watched him disappear into the dark grounds of Black Manor.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

**I like Narcissa. I've always liked her, but I think I'm starting to see a new side of her while writing this story. As a young woman, I'm liking this sort of… superficial sweetness, this bubbly girlishness that she puts up, because I think that makes her so much more interesting when you realize there's actually a capable, calculating, loving woman in there. But at the same time, I like that she's the baby of the family. She seems blissfully ignorant at how unhappy Andromeda is at the thought of marrying her cousin, and seems to think Lucius is just the absolute hottest thing on the planet, when really I'm sure he's okay, but like… bring it back in, lady.**

**Also, hello Lucius, you sly devil. Their relationship here, to me, seems a little different than what I've written before at the start of their journey, so I'm digging it.**

**Glad that people are supportive of this one! Loving the reviews and quick favouriting going on… See you next time!**


	3. Ending of a Phase

The days after a party were always tiring ones. Narcissa's mother had a tendency to drop her polite act once the guests had left, and almost immediately switched over into a dictator in order to get the elves cleaning at their fastest. Her father would retreat to his study – or bedroom if he was too drunk for anything else – and they generally wouldn't see him for a day or two after the event. Apparently, men needed time to recover after social functions.

Overall, the party had been a success. Everyone complimented the food, the drink, and the hosts; Andromeda looked quite positive on Rosier's arm, despite the fact her immediate family knew otherwise, and Narcissa spent the evening with Lucius just as she had planned. There was only one real party-foul, which came from Bellatrix. It wasn't really a surprise that she had acted out, but her mother was still equally furious when her older sister transformed an overly touchy friend of her father's into a slug.

Naturally, the whole incident was completely against party decorum, and both of her parents were enraged that Bellatrix could have done such a thing to an old family friend. However, if someone was groping her behind during a family function, Narcissa wasn't so sure she wouldn't have reacted the same way. Of course, she wouldn't have turned him into a slug, but she knew she could do just as much damage to a man with her words if the time called for it. Besides, had someone touched her inappropriately, Lucius would have dispensed with them before she had to get her hands dirty. Unfortunately, her sister wasn't lucky enough to have a man such as hers to protect her from lechers and dogs, but she was sure someday someone would stand for her. Rodolphus Lestrange had been sniffing around for her at the party, but Narcissa wasn't entirely sure she approved of him.

Only time would tell if he was suitable for her sister, and Narcissa could be very patient with such things. What she couldn't be patient with, however, was the fact that it had been several days since Lady Malfoy knew that Narcissa was a proven virgin, and Lucius still hadn't proposed. Her father was getting anxious about it, and she could understand why. It would have been frustrating to let one's daughter be courted by a man for years, only to have him engaged to someone else when she was too old to start properly dating again. She had faith in her Lucius, but her father seemed to respect her beloved less and less the longer he made her wait.

However, her mother had received a letter from Lucius' mother that morning, and it invited her and Narcissa over for tea that afternoon. She hadn't seen her mother this excited in some time as she thrust the parchment into Narcissa's hand across the breakfast table, a grin on her face.

"Today's the day, my dear," she cooed, tapping her tea cup thoughtfully. "It's finally going to happen!"

"Mother, she's only invited us over for tea," Narcissa argued as she re-read the letter, which was scrawled in Lady Malfoy's usual elegant script. "There isn't anything in here that suggests he might propose."

"Well, it doesn't need to be said explicitly, does it?" her mother scoffed, running a hand over her bedhead. "I'm sure afternoon tea today will be the most memorable afternoon tea you've ever had!"

Narcissa glanced at her father, but he remained buried behind that morning's edition of the _Daily Prophet_, so she couldn't gauge his immediate reaction.

"I bet it's so she can give me her approval," Narcissa reasoned after a moment or so. "I hardly think Lucius would be around for afternoon tea…"

"Well, I want you wearing your best regardless," her mother beamed, nodding with some sense of finality. "I can feel it… Today is the day."

She didn't want to get her hopes up, of course, but the thought of being engaged to the man she loved before dinner was something that made her positively giddy. She finished the rest of her meal in silence, occasionally skimming the invitation again just to be sure she hadn't missed anything. No, nothing indicated that this was anything other than a friendly gathering of ladies for tea. They had done so many times in the past, and Narcissa always put her best face forward in an attempt to make the somewhat stoic Lady Malfoy like her.

The older woman hadn't given any evidence that she disliked Narcissa, but there was always an air of aloofness around her and Lucius' relationship that never really went away. Abraxas Malfoy was always very warm whenever she visited, and she could see where Lucius got the majority of his more pleasant traits whenever she watched him interact with his father. The three of them were so interesting to watch, but in the end, Narcissa hoped Lucius would be more like his father than his mother.

When she finished her breakfast – a piece of toast and a selection of fresh fruits – Narcissa hurried upstairs to start preparing for their tea date. Bellatrix was still asleep, which wasn't surprising, and Andromeda's door was shut, though Narcissa knew she wasn't even home. She saw her older sister sneaking out early in the morning, and she assumed it was so that she could spend time with her friends before she was married. Andromeda had always been a social butterfly with people her own age, and it only made sense that she would want to spend as much time with them as possible; once she was married, she was going to have new friends – Evan's friends.

She pushed Andromeda and Bellatrix out of her mind and hurried into her room, shedding her housecoat and sleeping gown to have a quick shower. Once finished, she went into her elaborate routine of moisturizers, oils, and hair fixing that usually accompanied her shower routine. Bellatrix thought it was excessive, but in order to look her most appealing for her man, Narcissa knew the lengthy process was worth it.

When she finished, she wrapped her hair up in a bun, and then secured a silk scarf around it – couldn't have strays, could we? She sauntered out of her en-suite and began the task of rummaging about for the perfect dress to wear. There were many that might be considered her "finest", but she had to dress in something that didn't seem like she was trying too hard. So, instead of a newer dress that Lucius had bought for her the last time they were in London, she opted for a traditional classic: navy, fitted at the waist, flowing to the knees, and sleeved that poofed just enough to be stylish, but were snug around her wrists. Flattering but conservative – right up Narcissa's alley as far as style went.

Make-up came next, which was always minimal, and by the time Narcissa had finished her entire look, a full hour and a half had just flown by. She scrambled around her vanity to find her wristwatch, and attached the delicate piece of jewelry to her wrist just as she heard her mother calling from down the hall.

"Yes?" she replied, poking her head out of her room. Her mother appeared ready to go, dressed as any respectable matriarch would in her plum coloured dress.

"Be ready to go in five minutes, dear," her mother instructed. "I'm just going to wake your sister up, and then we can be off."

Oh, Bellatrix. How could one still be asleep at a time like this? It was almost noon! Shaking her head, a smirk on her pale lips, she ducked back into her room and slipped on a pair of sheer stockings. Although it was warm enough outside to go bare-legged for another week or so, it was never polite to show one's legs at a social gathering. Even if the stockings _were_ sheer – which was basically the same thing – it was always better to have some semblance of clothing than nothing at all. After all, what was she? A citizen of the middle-class? Bah.

She gave herself a squirt or two of perfume, and then sunk her feet into a cute pair of kitten heels. With the outfit at perfection, she stood in front of the mirror to give herself a once-over, and decided that if Lucius didn't see her an automatically get down on one knee, she would give her father permission to hurt him.

"Come along, Narcissa!"

She smiled at herself in the mirror, feigning her most attractive grin, and then hurried out of her room, careful to grab her purse along the way. There was a vague farewell uttered from Bellatrix's room, and Narcissa rolled her eyes a little, wishing her sister would be more active in societal life. Her sister wasn't necessarily a fan of every woman who dragged herself to tea, but then again, neither was Narcissa. However, women made contacts, sometimes valuable ones, by forcing themselves to go to luncheons and tea parties and act as though they were interested in every little thing that occurred in another woman's life.

"Did it say if anyone else would be joining us?" Narcissa inquired curiously as she hurried down the main stairwell, her mother hovering near some house elves in the foyer.

"Oh, you know Lady Malfoy," her mother sighed, rolling her eyes a little. "She is the most unorthodox woman when it comes to these things… Sometimes she only invites two or three people who barely know each other, and other times I've shown up and there are twenty women there gabbing away."

"Full of surprises," Narcissa remarked pleasantly. "At least it's never dull!"

"Well, sometimes dull isn't a terrible thing," her mother told her sharply. "Now, would you like to apparate with me?"

"No, I am more than capable of doing it myself," she replied, careful not to sound too snide. It was, however, quite bothersome that her parents still insisted she do a Side-Along rather than transport herself between places. She may have been the baby of the family, but not a literal one. She was perfect adept at her own magic, thank you very much!

"Very well," her mother grumbled, snatching her traveling cloak from one of the house elves, "but do try to keep your stomach's contents in. You know how it makes you nauseous."

"_Yes_, mother," Narcissa sighed, smiling through her irritation as she produced her wand from her magically expanded purse. "I'll see you at the front door."

Her mother vanished with a popping sound, and moments later Narcissa mimicked her actions. She winced at the feel of the act itself, hating the way it tugged at her navel as it dragged her through space, but in a heartbeat it was over, and she stood before the Malfoy Manor in one piece.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Narcissa insisted, tucking her wand back into her purse. "Please don't concern yourself."

"I always do," her mother muttered, "with you."

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and waited patiently for her mother to knock at the old oak doorway. Moments later, a house elf greeted them, one whose name she had yet to learn, and the two Blacks entered the domain.

"Very rude that a hostess does not greet her guests at the front door," her mother whispered as she handed the house elf her cloak. "Make a note of that, Narcissa."

"Of course."

She didn't think it was rude at all. She thought it was rude that they had arrived ten minutes later than the invitation specified, but her mother always believed arriving fashionably late was the way to appear important at these sorts of things. However, she said nothing. Instead, she followed a pace behind her mother as the woman walked the familiar path to the sitting room in which Lucius' mother held all of her tea parties.

When they arrived, Narcissa smiled as politely as she could when she spotted several other prominent females of their social circle scattered around the plush velvet sofas. There were the Clearwaters, the Greengrasses, the Rosiers, and the Notts. She spotted several mother-daughter duos, along with pairs of sisters or cousins. One could never come alone to a tea party; it showed a poor social standing. Most of the faces were familiar, particularly the face of Penelope Greengrass.

The brunette woman was the same age as Narcissa, and her mother had been almost vicious in her attempts to set Penelope and Lucius up to be wed. Even though she and Lucius had been together for quite some time, there were still remarks made that Lucius would look so lovely with her darling Penelope, and that their personalities were so well suited for one another. As if either of them knew anything about her beloved's personality! The sheer nerve! They were slightly lower than the Blacks in social standing, which gave Narcissa the advantage. However, she was a very pretty girl: slender, high cheekbones, plump little lips with a button nose… In fact, she made Narcissa a little insecure whenever she smiled her pretty smile, or made Lady Malfoy guffaw over something or another.

Lucius' mother always knew how to play the polite hostess, but when Narcissa and her mother arrived, she did not get up to greet them, which she knew upset her mother. However, Narcissa spotted the cane leaning over her armchair, and knowing that the woman was occasionally in poor health, she hardly begrudged her. Instead, she leaned down to plant a chaste kiss on each of her cheeks all the same, smiling her winning smile.

"Lovely to see you," Narcissa beamed. "Everything looks delicious."

That wasn't much of a lie. There were little round trays of cookies and sweets around the room, and Narcissa always worried about her expanding waistline whenever she went to one of these occasions.

"Oh, thank you dear," Lady Malfoy croaked, her dark blue eyes twinkling as she examined her. "I hear you wore the dress I bought you to your party the other day."

"Yes, it was so beautiful, and I couldn't wait for a function to wear it," Narcissa gushed, kneeling down a touch so that they were at eye level. "I was sad that you couldn't attend… Are you feeling better?"

"Not by much," the woman remarked, patting her cane, "but that's nothing new."

"I'm sorry."

"It's hardly your fault, dear."

The way she spoke almost implied that Narcissa genuinely believed that she had been the cause of the older woman's sickness, and she certainly didn't; it was just what you said. However, she took that as her cue to leave, and she took a seat next to her mother on a small loveseat, smiling at her soon to be sister-in-law, Ellen Rosier.

"That's a lovely dress, Narcissa," she commented, smoothing her hand down her slightly portly stomach. "Wherever did you get it?"

"It was a gift, actually," Narcissa remarked coyly, hoping Penelope – who was clearly listening from the chair across from the pair – might think Lucius had bought it for her. "It's a very nice colour, no?"

"Oh, yes, it suits you," the woman gushed, nodding her head vigorously to the point where her double-chin shook a little. "I wish I could get such nice gifts."

Narcissa smirked a little, and then went to work adding some sugar to her tea, keeping quiet as other conversations went on around her. She vaguely noticed Penelope give her a bit of a stink eye, but she chose to tactfully giggle at something Lady Malfoy said to the group instead, making her the better woman.

"Speaking of dapper young men," Penelope's mother, Adel, intoned, setting her tea cup down on its placeholder. "Where is that charming son of yours? With so many lovely young ladies here today, I was sure he might drop by?"

"As much as pretty young ladies do catch his attention," Lady Malfoy commented as she nibbled on a cookie, "he has been out since this morning, but I suspect he'll return shortly."

"How nice," Narcissa's mother interjected before Penelope's could. "Your Lucius was such a gentlemen at my party the other night… He barely let Narcissa have a moment to herself. I always believe it's proper that a gentleman escort his date for the duration of the party, but perhaps I'm a tad old-fashioned."

Narcissa grinned at her mother appreciatively as Adel pursed her lips, and then forced out, "Perhaps."

Lady Malfoy said nothing on the issue, and instead listened politely as Ellen Rosier brought up an amusing story about Narcissa's sister and her brother… some anecdote that took place last time Andromeda was over for dinner. Narcissa smiled and laughed with the rest of them, but she recalled the story being quite different when Andromeda told it, and it certainly did not make her look like a simpleton as it did in Ellen's version. Narcissa took a sip of her tea, unimpressed.

She listened to somewhat pointless conversation for the better part of the next hour, only participating when she thought it was absolutely necessary. The daughters and younger sisters were never the focus for long at these sorts of gatherings, and it was impolite to take the attention away for too long. Instead, the younger women sat and listened, adding thoughtful, but small, pieces of input whenever they deemed it necessary.

"Oh, Lucius! How wonderful to see you!"

Narcissa zoned back to reality after a light intermission of daydreaming when she heard Penelope greet Lucius. She quickly spotted him standing in the doorway, clearly just arrived home. Her cheeks tinted; she always thought he looked especially attractive in his traveling cloak.

"Ladies," he greeted smoothly, strolling into the sitting room quickly to give his mother a kiss on the cheek. "I won't interrupt for long-"

"It's no trouble!" Adel purred, patting a spot on the couch next to her, "Why don't you sit for a while?"

Narcissa heard her mother scoff.

"No, I think not," he replied somewhat stiffly. His gaze fell on her, and Narcissa smiled demurely. "I was wondering if I could steal Miss Black away for a moment."

"Take her for as long as you need," her mother insisted, nudging Narcissa to her feet. As if she needed the help. She was on her feet so quickly that she almost spilled her tea, but she managed to maintain some form of dignity as she sauntered passed the Greengrasses and looped her arm around Lucius'. They departed from the room in silence, and she could barely hear the chatter behind her as the ladies started up again.

She let him lead her to a quiet den at the rear of the house, one that overlooked the gardens, and she smiled a little as he shut the door behind them. Now that she had a proper look at him, he seemed… faint. He fidgeted more than usual under her gaze, which she found off-putting: confidence was a Malfoy trait.

"How… How are you today?" he started, pushing some loose blond hair back and away from his face.

"I'm…fine," she replied slowly, folding her arms over her chest. "How are you?"

"Fine… good," he said. "Great."

"Good."

They stared at each other for a moment, and he cleared his throat, "Right, there's no point putting this off for any longer than necessary…"

"I'm sorry?"

"Narcissa, we've been seeing one another for quite some time," he began, his hands in his pocket. "This phase of our relationship has been… really good. I've enjoyed my time with you, and you make me happy in ways that no one else has for a long time. However, I think it's time for this to end-"

"Are you breaking this off?" Narcissa snapped quickly, cutting him off so abruptly that he was still fumbling through some words as she spoke. Her eyes widened, disbelieving what she was hearing, "I can't believe you… Is that why Penelope is here?"

"What?" he stared at her for a moment, "No, Narcissa, I just thought-"

"Is it because I wouldn't… sleep with you last week?" she demanded, her hands on her hips, "I would have thought better of you, Lucius Malfoy!"

"I… Narcissa-"

"You'd do this to me when _everyone_ is here?" she spat, glaring at him. "I can't believe you'd do it at all-"

"Narcissa," he said sharply, producing a small box from his pocket. "You didn't let me finish!"

She stared at the box, a little dumbfounded, and then swallowed thickly, "What?"

"I'm proposing to you," he groaned, sliding down onto one knee in front of her. "I was _going_ to say that I think this phase of the relationship should end… We shouldn't simply be courting anymore. I think it's been clear for a long time that I'd like to marry you, and I've been looking for the right ring for months now. I went to pick it up today, and Mother got you here for tea because she wants to show you off…"

"She… wants to show me off?" Narcissa repeated softly, still dumbfounded and no doubt looking quite unattractive. "But… But she never seemed to care for us…"

"She likes you the best out of all of them," Lucius explained. "She doesn't have to force herself to be someone she isn't. Her brashness is a compliment."

"Oh… Well… That's good," she managed, nodding her head. She only then realized her eyes were watering a little, and she hastily brushed them away. "Sorry, please go on."

"Ridiculous woman," he teased, smirking a little. "As I was saying… I think it's time for this to end. By the end of this year, I'd like for you to be my wife and a Malfoy. The only way we can get to that is by going from courtship to engagement. So…" He popped open the ring box, and Narcissa gasped. "Narcissa Irma Black… Will you be my wife?"

She sniffled and nodded quickly, holding a hand over her mouth, "Of course I will. You… You barely needed to ask."

The ring was magnificent: a solid, large diamond surrounded by emeralds on either side. He was perfection, and she watched happily as he slipped the ring on her finger.

"It's wonderful," she whispered, smiling as he kissed her hand. He rose and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight as she curled her arms around his neck, her body quivering with happiness.

"You'll never want for anything," he murmured. "This will be a good thing…"

"I know," Narcissa remarked, giving his neck a kiss, "but if you _ever_ use my middle name again in anything official, I'll poison you."

He laughed happily, kissing her temple and cheeks, "Never again, my love, I promise. I couldn't resist!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**It's been a while since I've updated – finals and moving house were the blame for that. However, I'm going to try to get back into some sort of a routine for updating, so keep a lookout for more updates in the future. **

**I like writing young Narcissa. It's all about being a social butterfly and navigating the world of women under her mother's wing, which is so extremely different from Bellatrix that it's laughable. However, I'm also looking forward to having baby bird leave the nest and try to live on her own for a bit with a man. But that's still a ways away – yeay engagement times! More Lucius interaction to come in the upcoming chapters, I promise! He's been very limited thus far, but I suspect their relationship has been a bit like that… Chaperones, dinner parties, and the like don't allow for much private social interaction. **

**Also, unfortunate middle name, Cissy. Irma is her grandmother on her father's side, and I think such a pretty girl should have a bit of an ugly middle name. Why not?**


End file.
